Sign of increasing mainstream of m learning special journal;

This call for papers for special journal edition makes me think my prediction that m learning is going mainstream is correct
http://www.inderscience.com/browse/callpaper.php?callID=650

Call for papers: Emerging Mobile Learning Environments for Industries and Pedagogies

A special issue of International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation

Mobile learning (m-learning) is the acquisition of knowledge and skills by using mobile technologies anywhere and anytime. M-learning covers a wide range of possible domains by the convergence of emerging mobile technologies such as wireless communication infrastructure and mobile devices, and mobile applications such as online learning tools and mobile connectivity.

The subject coverage of this special issue includes, but is not limited to:

• Effective design of m-learning environments
• Emerging mobile technologies such as wireless network and mobile devices that directly facilitate learning
• Application of m-learning systems in industries (such as personalised dietary information, quitting smoking programs through mobile devices in healthcare industry)
• Application of m-learning systems in learning institutions (e.g. online Master’s programs)
• Development of m-learning tools for in-classroom teaching and learning
• Supply chain and value chain on m-learning
• Currently implemented m-learning applications
• Studies of mobile learning in practice
• Reviews of the application of m-learning in multiple contexts
• Uses of m-learning in mobile commerce learning environments
• Human computer interaction issues in m-learning
• Mobile games for learning
• M-learning in classroom
• Support for interaction among mobile learners
• Mobile collaborative learning
• Privacy and security issues and requirements in m-learning
• Comparison of m-learning with e-learning applications
• Assessment of m-learning in multiple contexts
• Critical success factors for mobile learning diffusion
• Cross-cultural mobile learning issues
• Knowledge management and learning strategies in mobile organisations
• M-learning data warehouse and data mining
• M-learning enterprise systems
• Field-based m-learning
• M-learning software development

odd post but worth it

Threshers the shop are doing an amazing promotion via the blogosphere a 40% off voucher(shhhhh dont tell every one) you just print off and take into a shop. see the effect on hows threshers appears in blogs and download the voucher .
link here

web2.0 viral marketing it will never catch on. Drink sensibly of course

Hughs blogs worth a look to http://www.gapingvoid.com/

Becta Content Developers' Bulletin: Issue 26, March 2007

this maybe of interest I include a summary of contents below so if your interested go and download it. Also subscribe the excellent technews while your there.

This bulletin is also available to download from the Becta website http://www.becta.org.uk/industry/newsletters

In this edition:

1. News headlines
*Funding guidance for schools and local authorities 2007 - 8
*Making accessible software: rising to the challenge

2. Focus on... forums and discussion groups (part 1 of 2)

3. Education updates

3.1 Schools
*Secondary curriculum review
*Younger pupils to learn foreign languages
*Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework
*Report on the impact of ICT in Europe
*QCA's new teacher assessment activities
*QCA research: role play in primary learning

3.2 Post-16 and 14-19
*JISC e-assessment report
*Web 2.0 - TechWatch report
*Assessment 2.0

3.3 SEN and inclusion
*TechDis launches HEAT2 funding programme

4. Technical news
*March TechNews out now
*Becta Thin Client report
*New Linux standards group
*Tool for converting MS Office documents to ODF
*Intel playground-proof laptop

5. General news
*Emerging technologies for learning, Volume 2
*QCA research into learner motivation
*National Year of Reading announced for 2008
*DfES funding to boost after-school science clubs
*Becta's current research
*'Made IT Happen' competition

6. Events
*Enhancing learning; virtual worlds, simulations and game based learning seminar
*e-Access '07
*Education 2007 - Excellence for all
*ALT-C: Beyond control

7. Feedback and unsubscription information

WiFi Buses drive rural web use

Such a cool story clever use of caching I know it cant be perfect but still quite a neat idea

Buses equipped with wi-fi are being used to deliver web content to remote rural villages in the developing world.


In rural India and parts of Rwanda, Cambodia andParaguay, the vehicles offer web content to computers with no internet
read BBC story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6506193.stm

Times of india story relating the indian sub continent angle at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1221225.cms

Mobile messaging stats and a quiz

---

Seem to be thinking a lot around educational use of SMS and was looking around for some reliable UK data and found this www.text.it

seems to be really good for information on all types of messaging .

It seems to be part of the mobile data association
www.themda.org .

Off both these sites I found a great quiz for wising up on issues related to messaging www.phonebrain.org

Technology Stewards a great idea from New Zealand

Helena from NZ who I was lucky enough to meet at Mlearn2006 in Banff . Has just come up with a great blog piece and phrase outlining the need for "good technology stewards’ to help bring relevant technology into areas like industry training" .
Helena has done some great work with simple tools in areas of vocational training like bakeries . I used her example of camera phones for recording evidence of bakery learners on Monday at the lets talk about txt event I keynoted at . link to event posting here

read here post its great http://mportfolios.blogspot.com/2007/03/keynote-presentation-at-industry.html

I have also added her to my blogroll a select bunch of influential blogs in the left hand panel of this blog.

mobile learning and skills for life researcher

Hi all
Just a little request if anybody has any links or names of people doing research in Mlearning and skills for life post a comment if you can help

A

Educause update 7things great great stuff

I first blogged these excellent publications in September 2005

http://andysblackhole.blogspot.com/2005/09/magnificent-series-of-7-things-you.html



Well they've updated them and there are loads more than seven topics goggle earth, digital story telling, facebook , youtube just great if your new or want to update your knowledge of web2.0

http://www.educause.edu/content.asp?page_id=7495&bhcp=1

Worldmapper: The world as you've never seen it before

Thanks to Lisa Valentine of RSC Northwest for this great site shows the world distorted or should I say scaled according to gdp food aid etc very cool thanks Lisa

Worldmapper: The world as you've never seen it before

VideoDownloader Firefox Extension

VideoDownloader Firefox Extension ! (29-4-06)

this amazingly allows you down load streamed video on youtube etc and play it locally through a flash player .

so if youtube googlevideo is banned at your institution you can download it at home a play it offline at work neat eh !!

Are you tired of copy&paste URLs to download a video? Now it's even easier !
VideoDownloader Firefox Extension add a small icon on the status bar at the bottom of your firefox window, and a toolbar button.

read about it first
http://javimoya.com/blog/youtube_en.php

Download firefoxplug in

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2390/

Smart Mobs: Sign language for your cellphone

Thanks to Geoff Stead for bringing this to my attention no time to look at the moment but might be useful resource . Be really interested in any body from the deaf communities thoughts and evaluation of the product.

Smart Mobs: Sign language for your cellphone

BBC use term In search of the neo-nomad. Well I used term digital nomad back in September 2005

BBC NEWS | Technology | In search of the neo-nomad

well great article BBC but I would like to point out that I used the term term Digital Nomad at ALT-C 2005 at Exeter University in a discussion around digital natives and described new form of worker learning technologist. I actually used the Phrase yesterday to Steve Sidaway of TXTtools
can I claim IPR ???? ;-) nice article .
Are you a digital nomad !!

Talking about TXTing there raving about !!

First Txt messaging in education conference in Europe
ome of my regular readers will know I quite like SMS as a reliable simple technology. Well got to admit I better not use the word simple any more. I am currently at the lets talk about txt event at Leeds school of music. Put together by https://www.txttools.co.uk/ without a salesman in sight
seen some brilliant stuff by Mick Mullane of Yorkshire Coast college who is doing great stuff using a combination of RSS, moodle ,sms in a compelling mix see what the college are doing using moodle http://moodle.ycoastco.ac.uk/
great video in the session
http://podcast.ycoastco.ac.uk//blojsom_resources/meta/edutxt/rivet2.mp4

Ray Lawrence from how to moodle gave a great over view of moodle.

gave brisk talk through of what moodle is and also outlined a good description of open source. He made me aware of some great stats of registered moodle sites. total number registered sites world wide number 23244


Dr Kevin Lynch school of history at Leeds Uni gave a compelling reasoning how he is uses sms with other technologies to engage with learners. talked with great thought from a teaching and learning perspective and institutional view point.

Jim Busher of City college Brighton and Hove students service Management gave a really pragmatic up to date view of how they use sms to support students.





Judith Hennessey and Deborah Pinder of Norton College Sheffield
Gave a great of how they are deploying SMS to support activity in college.
A great example of doing simple things to benefit learners and for the college. classic general FE

• varied group of learners
• wide range of programmes
• Learners unable to meet as a larger group to develop community
• seen as one way of promoting virtual
  

Started with A/S foundation students who were both new to college and a pick and mix varied timetable.

Alan Southwell Salisbury colleges e-learning manager
gave a simple no nonsense approach of how they are using the technology . They are using moodle and are looking at installing the moodletxt in moodle they're chosen learning platform.
Interesting attendance monitoring . great virtual interview with the colleges students attendance officer


A added plus point was also meeting Leon Cynch who was covering the event with his video camera. Look forward to the result Leon.

initial reflections

• Great workshop pragmatic and delightful mix HE & FE
  
• The diversity of approaches
  
• Honesty of what worked and what did not
  
• SMS is being used in many ways I hadnt even thought of
  

Epic 2014 now 2015 is out compare the difference.

I first posted the original in December last year it outlined a possible future for the web in 2014 I posted the link and blogged some simple remarks .

http://andysblackhole.blogspot.com/2006/12/2020-vision-excellent-video.html

Now the year on version 20015 is out what is interesting is not the extra year but how previous years content/ context has changed . It does give weight to the what is important is technology you miss rather than predict model I hawk around. last version no mention or little of Ipods podcasting etc .

watch it your self.
http://epic.makingithappen.co.uk/new-master1.html

Enjoy which one is right or are they both way of the mark (only time will tell )??

John Haller's PortableApps Suite Launches

I have been using John Hallers portable firefox for a while but just discovered he has really gone to town and seems to have gone a similar route to U3. This seems to be the first iteration I have seen of a open source mobile office ( not Microsoft but term for business type package). will download it tomorrow and give it a go .
http://www.everythingusb.com/portableapps_suite.html

M-learning or not M-learning?

At the AOC Nilta conference .Earlier this week I was lucky enough to see Geoff Elliot of Pembrokeshire College present on there beacon award winning m-learning project http://www.pembrokeshire.ac.uk/mlearning
A college that has won 7 AOC beacon awards in 6 years http://www.pembrokeshire.ac.uk/news/SevenBeaconAwards

Great presentation outlining the project the people they were trying to reach and the challenges. If you don't know Pembroke is an objectuive one area due its pockets of deprivation

I found out later in the week a nice article in FE focus on his work

http://www.m-learning.net/downloads/TES_Pembroke_march07.png

Interestingly next page was a editorial article that wasn't quite so positive

http://www.m-learning.net/downloads/TES_Editorial_march07.png

dont know what you think but to very different views I will leave you to make your own mind up.


Interesting Ewan MCintosh has a poll on his blog about mobile use in schools you might like to go the page and contribute http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2007/03/should_kids_use.html

Top Ten Blogging Tools from EPIC Newsletter

From Epic newsletter not sure I agree they sure are big fans of wordpress

• Wordpress
• User polls
• Email
• Clipmarks
• Weblog clients
• RSS Aggregator
• Google Analytics
• Technorati
• De.licio.us
• Spell-checker

Further detail here

Emerging technologies for learning publication

Colleagues at Becta haver done it again with another cracking publication on Emerging technologies for learning has

http://www.becta.org.uk/research/reports/emergingtechnologies

They also have have a discussion forum set up at

http://communities.becta.org.uk/technology/emergingtechnologies

The discussion forum aims to provide a space to:

Respond to and discuss the articles inEmerging technologies for learning

• Suggest ideas and themes for any future editions of Emerging technologies for learning
• Propose writers for any future editions of Emerging technologies for learning
• Inform other readers of developments in technology and encourage debate around them

so go one download and join the discussion

T-Mobile announces Ameo UMPC-like PDA

well it is coming to the UK thanks to Dave Whyley of Wolverhampton's learning to go for this snip it from Cebit.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/26/t-mobile_announces_ameo/

great specification

Ameo/Athena has a 5in touch-sensitive display, T-Mobile said. The device also has an 8GB hard drive, HSDPA 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a three megapixel camera, QWERTY keyboard, and and 624MHz XScale processor. Unlike true UMPCs, Ameo runs Windows Mobile rather than Windows XP.

but the hint at the end is best news of all

HTC is also said to be working on a version of Athena with a 7in screen. The device may be set to launch in Q2.

Ive said 7 inch screen is optimum for portability and every day practicalilty A5 format for us Europeans !!!

Digital Future of the U. S. -- The Future of the World Wide Web

Another view of Tims work from a stateside perspective.


The 'World Wide Web Inventor', Tim Berners-Lee appeared before Congress on March 1, 2007 to discuss with the federal legislators the digital future of the World Wide Web for the United States.

During a session of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Sir Berners-Lee reviewed the first decade of the Internet, its use, and commented on how "...we have only scratched the surface of what can be realized with deeper scientific investigation into its design, operation and impact on society."; concluding with the continental relationships that are working with public, private, and academic areas to protect the systems that are in place and consider future systems.

The founder of the World Wide Web Consortuim - W3.org, Sir Berners-Lee hoped that his comments, ideas, etc. of the big World Wide Web system that he presented to Congress would be used to build the next "thing" about the web.

He discussed that the original vision included the universality of the web so that the consideration of culture, language, disability, etc. of the 'user' would not matter - a universality system where everything would be linked to everything else and for everyone.

BCS get Tim Berners Lee on the web with a little help from google video

Well a few days after the event Lecture is now on the BCS website well done . The film quality is excellent although I liked the handycam feel of the youtube version I blogged last week.

http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=nav.8997

what's great it is actually hosted on google video so BCS does web 2.0 well done again see it large screen at

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5333648384150664992&hl=en-GB


Tims Link to his presentation on the cern website is now live to great great !!!
http://www.w3.org/2007/Talks/0313-bcs-tbl

Resource to help inform new builds in HE and FE

If your interested in new builds in colleges or University or even cross fertilzation with Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Well done JISC Infonet a great resource to support news builds and refurbishment in the FE and HE sector

http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/learning-space-design

Learning space design and development is becoming a hot topic as our colleges and universities seek to provide 21st century learning facilities, and technology has a vital role to play in this. Significant amounts of funding are being invested both by the funding bodies and by institutions investing hard-earned surpluses in their estates.

what's also great is they are using Flickr to host photos images of new build ideas and tagging them and using notes and hot spots well done !!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jiscinfonet

I also discovered a resource from Scottish funding council through Jisc Infonets website.

"The Scottish Funding Council has also published Spaces for Learning. These reports have provided a sound basis for the continuing exploration by FE and HE institutions of new possibilities for learning space provision."

Tim Berners Lee "magic is stuff we dont understand (yet)" with a web2.0 suprise !

What a evening the great presentation by Tim Berners Lee in his presentation the web looking forward and looking back . Lovelace lecture Winner


The father of the web he minded us where weve come from and he made it happen. Just little things he dropped in

First website Cern aug 6 th 1991

Number of people in world is exceeded by number of web pages !

610⁹ people 10¹⁰ web pages

the interesting stuff on the mobile web initiative

http://www.w3.org/Mobile/

plus of the course the future of the web semantic web etc

what is really amazing an enterprising blogger recorded it did a transcript and posted video on youtube VERY VERY COOL
see the transcript and links to youtube video at
http://www.mazine.ws/node/543

web 2.00 stunning mindmap

This is worth a look.


stunning mindmap on web2.00 at www.yourdon.com

http://www.yourdon.com/downloads/Web2.0v028.pdf

Planning and implementing innovative practice with mobile and wireless technologies

Interesting events these some of which are still taking bookings. But what is really good is making presentation available. The bottom of the page given in this link.

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning_innovation/eli_innov_wksp.aspx

So do book if you can but I do urge you to down load presentations. Well done to the organisers for putting them up.

POPURLS

Popurls popular links to the latest web buzz digg,deli.icio.us,reddit.com,YouTube etc .

.



http://popurls.com/



really well worth a look to see what's popular across these sites .

Becta March addition of Technews DOWNLOAD IT NOW !!!!!!!!!!

The latest TechNews from Becta latest addition is now out what joy







http://partners.becta.org.uk/page_documents/research/technews/mar07.pdf



a few juicy bits

• location-based technologies
• Flash Memory in PC's
  
  

no more juicy bits just go and download it !!! Please note link to TechNews website and archive past issues in my sidebar links.

Go on download it.

Gsyncit google outlook sink ********

http://www.daveswebsite.com/software/gsync


This is what some of us has been waiting for thanks for Dan Sutch of Future Lab pointing this out.



gSyncit for Microsoft Outlook keeps
Microsoft Outlook and your Google calendar in-sync. After
installing gSyncit and starting Outlook you'll find a new toolbar
available to configure
gSyncit and synchronize your calendars. You can
manually synchronize your calendar or have it automatically sync on a preset
interval.

Madodate certainly is but mad and great !!

Thanks to Dan Sutch of Futurelab for this.
Changes the way you minimize documents
The application is simple, it adds an additional button next to the minimize button on windows. Click the button and the windows is minimized in a 3d view. Simply click the 3d application and it restores the windows back to the normal
view.
Madodate 2.02.02 Full English Translation
This can be a useful application or a complete waste of time depending on what type of user you are.

The application is simple, it adds an additional button next to the minimize button on windows. http://bikerscafe.org/uf7/forum/viewtopic.php?p=119#119

..

ignore dodgy url and have a look.

Gmap pedomemeter

Do you run walk or ride a bike or just want to work out distances on a map easily well.

Gmap pedometer http://www.gmap-pedometer.com
Amazingly another clever application of google maps plot your route and it works out distances . I started in ICT as a geoographer into computer Mapping and GIS and simplicity of this site I just love . You could so easily do a sopin off that calculated areas as wll any offers you google API devlopers.

Big heads up to fellow Becta Runner Mick James who had this pointed out by fellow Becta colleague Andy Gorton

Picasa Web Albums Google going after Flikkr

Google going after Flikkr ??? I have a flikkr acoount but will look at this

http://picasa.google.com/intl/en_us/web/learn_more_picasa.html

With Picasa Web Albums, you get 250MB of free storage--enough to post and share approximately 1,000 photos for free. But it's so easy to put your photos online that you just might want more storage. Starting at $25 a year, you can upgrade to an additional 6GB of space (25,000 photos' worth). Whatever your needs, Picasa Web Albums is perfect for amateur and pro photographers alike.

The Picasa software gives you the fastest and easiest way to upload your photos to Picasa Web Albums. (Not using Picasa? Your normal web browser can also be used to create new Picasa Web Albums.)

Computers move sparks college student protest ( a tale of three ways of collecting information)

Thanks To Kevin Donovan for inspiring this posting and a learning opportunity for me .

Read the article kevin pointed out to me from paper copy of Liverpool daily post. learners do care about access to ICT.
What was interesting was how I got various copies of the article


1) I took a picture with my new Nokia 6234 . Which for first attempt wasnt bad and I bluetoothed it to my laptop.

• 
  

2)Googled it and got the link

3)Kevin Bless him scanned it and emailed me it from home.
















Now it is an interesting article but how I collected the images information was a learning journey in itself.

Web 2.00 pubication by Techwatch

Well if your interested in Web 2.0 and education you mustnt miss this one !!!

What is Web 2.0? Ideas, technologies and implications for education
(TSW0701)

By Paul Anderson

Within 15 years the Web has grown from a group work tool

for scientists at CERN into a global information space with more than a
billion users. Currently, it is both returning to its roots as a read/write
tool and also entering a new, more social and participatory phase. These
trends have led to a feeling that the Web is entering a ‘second phase’—a
new, ‘improved’ Web version 2.0. But how justified is this
perception?

This TechWatch report was commissioned to investigate
the substance behind the hyperbole surrounding ‘Web 2.0’. It reports on the
implications this may have for the UK Higher and Further Education sector,
with a special focus on collection and preservation activities within
libraries.

The report establishes that Web 2.0 is more than a setof ‘cool’ and new technologies and services, important though some of theseare. It has, at its heart, a set of at least six powerful ideas that arechanging the way some people interact. Secondly, it is also important toacknowledge that these ideas are not necessarily the preserve of ‘Web 2.0’,but are, in fact, direct or indirect reflections of the power of the network: the strange effects and topologies at the micro and macro level that a billion Internet users produce.

website site at

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/services/services_techwatch/techwatch/techwatch_ic_reports2005_published.aspx

at



http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/techwatch/tsw0701b.pdf

Tag Cloud

Well I have finally not only migrated onto the new version of blogger and updated my template. to the new version which allows easier editing of templates.

Primary reason for this was to blogger label cloud http://phy3blog.googlepages.com/Beta-Blogger-Label-Cloud.html

which Geoff Stead of mobile learning fame encouraged me to use (big heads up for the encouragement Geoff!!!

After a bit of editing its working nicely in the side bar. The primary aim is to encourage me more to tag blog posts to make them searchable.

Mobile Learning blog

Well its been one of those mornings !! Got a superb tip from Bob Harrison a crusading protagonist of m learning .



Seems to be a really useful and well visited m learning site so good going to add it to my links in my sidebar.

http://mlearning.edublogs.org/



What I really like is range of tools tips and techniques and techniques showcased .